


Coping Mechanisms

by Aeternum



Series: Leo Inter Serpentes Additional Scenes [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 15:29:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9498380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeternum/pseuds/Aeternum
Summary: Millicent's always been terrified of dragons. Pansy goes to see if she's okay.





	

I follow the rest of the Slytherins as they hurry back to the common room. Everyone else is happy and excited after the first task, gleeful that Harry is beating the other champions so early, but I can't join in. 

All I can think of is the way those dragons had breathed fire that was so hot, I had felt the heat from the very last row in the stands – claws that were sharp enough to slice through flesh, and the Horntail had had those tail spikes, too – then there was their sheer size – they could have crushed me with a single step, had I been stupid enough to get near one of them.

Breathe, Millicent, breathe, I tell myself. I'm safe.

People buffet me as they pass me, eager to get to the party we've been planning. I can't help flinching with each bump, and I frown in annoyance. I'm being stupid, I know. The dragons are all safely (safely, ha!) contained by the dragon-keepers. I'm safe.

I don't feel safe, though. I look around for Pansy, who's been by my side all day, but she's disappeared, too keen on the party to hang around waiting for me. I can't blame her. She's not what I'd usually call a patient person, but she's been so good today, letting me hold her hand during the scarier moments. I can't expect her to stick by my side even now, can I? Hell, she probably figured that since the task was over, and we were leaving the dragons behind, I'd stop being such a wet blanket about it and get on with things.

The dungeons are cold and dark, a welcome change from the fiery dragons. I walk quickly through the crowded common room, shouldering aside anyone in my way, until I'm alone in my dorm. I kick off my shoes and curl up on my bed, pulling the curtains shut.

Before I've even settled against the pillows, Goliath's climbing into my lap. He's already purring, and clambers up onto my chest to rub his face against mine.

“It's so good to see you,” I murmur into his soft fur.

Goliath purrs louder, licks my nose twice, then settles on my chest, his eyes shut happily. I hug his tiny body and lean backwards, careful not to jostle him, and start stroking his back. I try shutting my own eyes, but visions of those dragons flash before me, so I jerk them open at once.

I'm safe, I tell myself again. I do my best to block out everything other than Goliath. I focus on his fuzzy face, the small white mark on the tip of one ear that mars his otherwise jet-black coat. His purring is smooth and regular, and I let the sound and vibrations soothe me, trying to match my breathing to his. He opens his eyes lazily, then leans forward to give my nose another two licks. I have a dirty nose, I guess, at least by cat standards, because Goliath is always licking it. It's always two licks, though, never more, never less. I guess he just likes the number.

I don't know how long I'm there for, cuddling Goliath, before my stomach begins to growl. Time to join the party – or at least sneak in to steal some food. I should probably make an effort to congratulate Harry too, I guess. 

I give Goliath a scratch behind his ears before gently lifting him off me and onto my bed. He immediately tries to jump back onto my lap, but I slip off the bed, leaving him to run face first into my pillow. I can't help but laugh at the indignant expression on his face.

“I saw that,” I tell him.

Goliath blinks at me, then turns around to start cleaning his bum.

“Charming.”

Walking out into the corridor, I almost bump into Nerissa, one of the fifth year Prefects. I can't help jumping. “Sorry,” I mumble.

“No harm done,” Nerissa says, then pauses. “Millicent, are you okay?”

I nod at once. “Course. Why wouldn't I be?”

She stares at me for a moment longer, then shakes her head. “No reason. You're just missing the party, that's all.”

She continues on to her dormitory, leaving me standing there worried. Obviously some of my fear must still be showing on my face. Maybe I shouldn't go to the party after all. At least not yet. 

While I'm standing there, wracked with indecision, the door to the common room bursts open, and Pansy rushes inside, stopping when she sees me.

“There you are, Milly! I've been looking for you,” she says, shutting the door behind herself.

“Don't call me Milly,” I say automatically, although it's far from my biggest problem today.

Pansy just grins that grin of hers, the one that on anyone else would be an unbearably smug smirk but that works on her. It really, _really_ works on her.

“I came to see how you were doing,” she says, walking over slowly, “but if you're arguing about a silly little nickname I guess you're feeling okay.”

“I'm okay. I'd be even better if you'd stop calling me that,” I say.

Pansy stops in front of me. “Where's the fun in that?” she asks.

Merlin, she's infuriating. Still... “Pansy, thank you. For today.”

Pansy shrugs a shoulder. “Don't mention it.”

I reach out and grab her hands. “I'm serious. I appreciate it. I'm sure you would've had a better time of it if you hadn't been stuck babysitting me.”

Pansy cocks her head, all trace of that smile gone now. “Milly, you're my friend, and you were scared. Of course I was going to stay with you during the task. I would've come to find you sooner, only it took me a while to realise you weren't at the party with the rest of us.”

“I was with Goliath,” I say.

She doesn't laugh at me for this. After more than three years sharing a dorm, we all – Pansy, Tracey, Daphne and I – know each others' coping mechanisms. Tracey loses herself in a book, Daphne experiments with her hair or makeup, Pansy finds someone to gossip with or complain to, and I cuddle Goliath. 

“But you're ready to come join the rest of us?” is all she asks.

“Yeah,” I say.

There's a pause, during which Pansy looks down. “You might want to let go of my hands, in that case. People might think we're together.”

I look down, too, at where we're still holding each other's hands. “Yeah, they might,” I say.

I make no move to pull away, and neither does she. When I lift my head, she's looking up at me, watching my face.

“You held my hand during the task today, too,” she says.

“Yeah. Sorry.”

Pansy shakes her head quickly, sending her hair flying about her face. “No, don't. I didn't mind.”

“Me neither,” I say.

“I liked it, actually,” she says, blushing a bit. “A lot.”

I can feel an answering blush on my own face. I know it's not as pretty as hers. “Me, too,” I whisper.

Her blush deepens and she stares at me. I don't know what to say, what to do, so I simply stare back at her. Her brown eyes are soft and uncertain, devoid for once of the slyness I'm so used to seeing from her. The moment stretches, growing with some feeling of import until I'm scared to even breathe, lest I break it.

Then she blinks, and before I know it, she leans forwards and reaches up to kiss me.

I gasp in surprise, and Pansy takes the opportunity to slip her tongue into my mouth. Her lips are so soft, and she tastes like punch and strawberry lipgloss: sweet. It's not usually a word I'd associate with Pansy, but then again, I've never snogged her before. I've never snogged anyone before, actually, and I pull away.

“I don't know what to do,” I admit.

“Kiss me,” Pansy orders breathlessly.

It's an order I'm all too willing to obey. She's got her hands around my neck now, tangling one in my hair. I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss back as best I can. I seem to be doing okay, because she moans a little and leans flush against me, pressing me back into the wall. The stone is cold through my clothes, making me realise that I'm hot, burning hot, and it's because of Pansy, because of how she tastes and feels and sounds. It's my turn to moan, and I tighten my hold on her waist.

She licks my lower lip, so I suck her tongue into my mouth, amazing myself with my own daring. I let it go at once, but she immediately slips it back inside, running it over my own tongue. Oh. I'm beginning to understand why everyone's so obsessed with snogging. This is brilliant. I suck lightly on her tongue and run a hand up her back to rest on the nape of her neck. Her hair's soft and smooth, and I can't help playing with it a little. 

She's so much smaller than me, curvy where I'm muscly and almost half a foot shorter. She's prettier, too, with that sleek bob and those sharp eyes of hers and a pout that she's forever slathering with pink lipgloss. I usually feel like an ugly, lumbering giant next to her – next to any of my female friends, actually – but now, right now, I can't help feeling pretty.

A loud bang cuts through the air, and we jump apart to see Harry and Draco standing in the doorway staring at us.

“Pansy? And Millicent?” asked Draco, wide-eyed.

My blush is back, as is Pansy's, as we push away from the wall.

“Piss off,” Pansy says irritably.

A thrill goes through me at the protective note in her voice.

“Sorry,” says Harry. When Draco makes a high-pitched noise of glee, Harry elbows him. “I just wanted to see if you were okay, Millicent, what with the dragons today.”

“I'm fine, as you can see,” I snap, then pause when I see the genuine concern on his face. “But thanks for checking on me.”

Draco waves his hand between Pansy and I. “How long has this been going on for?” he demands.

Unseen by either boy, Pansy takes my hand again. “We only just started before you rudely interrupted us.”

“We'll just be going then,” says Harry.

He moves towards the door, pushing Draco ahead of himself. Seconds later, Pansy and I are alone again. I find myself unable to meet her eyes. What if she's changed her mind? Maybe she's realised she can do better than me, find someone prettier, or a better kisser, or -

“Milly, what's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

A soft hand cups my cheek and lifts my face up. “Want to come back to mine, then?” Pansy asks.

“Ours, you mean. We share a dorm, Pansy,” I say.

“True,” Pansy says, her eyes dancing, “but I meant my bed. Yours is always covered in cat hair.”

“Bed?” I squeak.

Pansy's eyes widen. “Oh, no, not for – not for that! I just meant – you know – more snogging? If you want?” 

When I nod, she grins again – _that_ grin, and my stomach goes all fluttery. Oh sweet Merlin, I'm in trouble.

“Brilliant,” she says, then proceeds to drag me back into the dorm and over to her bed. Just before she sits down, she spins around to face me. “This – this isn't just because you were scared today, is it? You're not replacing Goliath with me or anything?”

I almost laugh, because I want to do things with her that I would never do with a cat. “No. Not at all.”

Pansy huffs with relief. “Good. Great. Because... because I've fancied you for a while, now. So.”

“So.”

She's grinning again, and pulling me down onto the bed with her, where we collapse into a pile of pink pillows. She brushes my hair off my face and leans forward, but I put my hand out.

“If we're going to be together, you'll need to stop calling me Milly,” I warn her.

“Okay,” she says. She kisses me quickly before pulling away. “Sure thing, Milly.”

“Pansy...” I growl.

“Yes, Milly?” she asks innocently.

I slide a hand around her waist. “You know I hate that name.”

“Mmm, I know,” she murmurs against my lips. “Milly.”

My hand tightens. “You're not stopping, are you.”

“Sorry, Milly. I don't think so,” she says, kissing me again. “Maybe you better shut me up.”

“Maybe I better,” I say, before proceeding to do just that.


End file.
